The present invention relates to an apparatus for plugging multiple connectors with spring loaded sleeves into an adapter simultaneously.
The process of assembling multiple fiber optic multi-fiber termination push-on (MPT) connectors into an adapter is difficult to accomplish and time consuming. Often, adapter requires over 100 individual plugs of the fiber optic MPT connectors with each plug requiring that the spring loaded sleeve of each connector be pulled back individually. The force required to do so is substantial and must be applied for each plug and thus requires that the operator expend a significant amount of strength and energy over a relatively long period of time to complete an assembly.
For example, full Insertion of a single fiber optic connector into a receptacle requires overcoming at least three forces. These include the force associated with the spring loaded sleeve of the fiber optic connector, the force required to spread receptacle fingers and the force required to engage the ferrule at the very end of the fiber optic connector in position. While inserting the fiber optic connector into the receptacle, the spring loaded sleeve is supported by the face of the receptacle, which compresses the springs and retracts the sleeve. Simultaneously, bumps on the two sides of the fiber optic connector push the receptacle fingers outward. Forcing the fiber optic connector into the receptacle past its resting location allows the receptacle fingers to open enough so that the bumps can pass through. Releasing the excess force from the fiber optic connector allows the spring loaded sleeve to extend over the receptacle fingers, thus locking the fiber optic connector in place. That is, the spring loaded sleeve is now extended over the receptacle fingers and does not allow them to open outward.
To remove the fiber optic connector, the operator is required to pull the spring loaded sleeve back so the receptacle fingers will be allowed to open outward, which in turn allows the bumps to pass through while exiting the receptacle.